FOX Trustees and Beneficiaries Workshop - October 1-2, 2025

Overview

Wednesday, Oct 01, 2025 - 10:00am
Thursday, Oct 02, 2025 - 04:00pm
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Region
Location
Virtual
Event Resources

    FOX is pleased to offer the FOX Trustees and Beneficiaries Workshop virtually on October 1-2, 2025. This workshop is one of the very few places trustees and beneficiaries get the high-quality, objective, and non-commercial training they need to fulfill their roles in an informed and confident way. 

    A trusteeship is a critical, active role that has significant influence on the well-being of the beneficiary and the sustainability of the assets, businesses, or properties that are in the trust. Being appointed a trustee is a tremendous honor, but it comes with very real responsibilities and exposure to liability. But a trust is more than a legal structure or series of transactions—it sets in motion a working relationship between the trustee and beneficiary. Although trusts are a vital and prominent component of family wealth planning, it’s surprisingly hard to find training to prepare trustees and beneficiaries for their responsibilities. 

    This unique workshop is designed to help trustees and beneficiaries be better prepared and develop stronger relationships. The workshop covers the roles, risks and responsibilities of both trustees and beneficiaries so both trustees and beneficiaries are strongly encouraged to attend. 

    Recommended for: 

    Personal trustees serving as fiduciaries for family trusts and the beneficiaries of the family trusts. 

    Registering for the Program: 

    Our two-day program will take place Wednesday October 1 10:00 – 4:00 p.m. and Thursday October 2 10:00 – 3:45 p.m.  All times listed are US Central. Registration for this workshop is exclusively for FOX Family Office members and qualified non-members serving as fiduciaries for family trusts and the beneficiaries of the family trusts.

    Please note that a registration fee is required to attend. Additional discounts are available for multiple members of your family or office to attend in-person. Please contact your relationship manager or events@familyoffice.com for more information. 

    All registrations are subject to approval by FOX. 

    If you are having trouble registering, contact us at events@familyoffice.com

    Pricing

     

      FOX Members Non-Member
      Early Bird through August 27 Regular Rate Early Bird through August 27 Regular Rate
             
    Individual Attendees $2,200 $2,500 $2,700 $3,000
             
    Multiple Attendees $1,950 $2,250 $2,400 $2,700

     

       

    Wednesday, October 1

      All times listed are US Central and subject to change.
    10:00 am

    Welcome and Program Introduction
    This brief introduction will provide an overview of what to expect over the two days of the workshop and provide an opportunity to meet your fellow participants. We encourage coming to the workshop ready to engage with cameras on.  

    Chris Herbert, Senior Relationship Manager, FOX
    Allison Lawshe, Learning Center Program Manager, FOX

       
    10:15 am

    A Discussion on Beneficiary Well-Being  
    This opening discussion will focus on the role of trusts and trustees in enhancing beneficiary well-being. It will consider the importance of having the appropriate programs in place to support beneficiary education on topics including finance, family business, philanthropy, and family legacy. The session will also explore Delaware's new Beneficiary Well-Being Statute.  

    James (Jay) E. Hughes Jr., Author of Family Wealth: Keeping it in the Family, and of Family - The Compact Among Generations 
    Todd A. Flubacher, Partner, Morris, Nichols, Arsht & Tunnell, LLP  

       
    11:15 am

    Introduction to Trusts: Structure, Roles, and Desirable Features

    This session will review the essential aspects of trusts. Who are the relevant parties and what do trustees, other trust fiduciaries, and beneficiaries need to know as basic foundation for administering or otherwise interacting with trusts. This session will provide an overview for and set the stage for the remaining sessions over the two-day Workshop.

    Kim Kamin, Partner, Partner, Chief Wealth Strategist, Gresham Partners LLC
    Allison Lawshe, Learning Center Program Manager, FOX

       
    12:30 pm 

    Lunch Break

       
    1:00 pm

    Crash Course for Trustees and Beneficiaries: Responsibilities, Powers, Rights, and Wishes
    Trustee-beneficiary relationships enjoy a lengthy legal history fairly unique in the world to societies founded by English law. Aaron Hegji, Esq., Senior Planning Advisor with Planning Advisory Services and a practicing trusts and estates attorney with Harrison LLP, will prepare the audience to administer trusts or interact with their trustees by providing checklists, quick reference guides, and the tools necessary to use them. 

    Aaron M. Hegji, Chief Fiduciary Officer, Wealthgate Trust Company
    Chris Herbert, Senior Relationship Manager, FOX

       
    2:00 pm

    Distribution Provisions: Understanding the Issues and Options
    This session will discuss general distribution provisions and will discuss the key issues related to discretionary trust distributions covering the many factors that distribution committee members or trustees should consider when faced with requests for discretionary distributions.  

    Gerard F. Joyce Jr., Senior Counsel, Perkins Coie
    Chris Herbert, Senior Relationship Manager, FOX

     
    3:00 pm

    Trustees and Beneficiaries – How Does it Really Work?
    Trustee and beneficiary share their experiences. They will discuss their trust structures, the decision-making process that led to those structures, and various roles and responsibilities required for success. In addition, as trustee will provide examples of how best to work with the family, as the beneficiary and vice versa. They will then take questions about the realities of being a trustee and beneficiary and the unique nature of that relationship. 

    Allison Lawshe, Learning Center Program Manager, FOX

       
    4:00 pm Day 1 Concludes
       

    Thursday, October 2

      All times listed are US Central and subject to change.
    10:00 am

    Introductions and Recap of Day 1

    Allison Lawshe, Learning Center Program Manager, FOX

       
    10:05 am

    Fiduciary Disputes in Family Held Enterprises 
    This session will explore the myriad reasons the risk of conflict is heightened in the family business and trust context, how to mitigate that risk, and will provide tips and strategies to consider when conflict veers toward litigation. 

    Meghan E. Tepas, Partner, Croke Fairchild Duarte & Beres 
    Chris Herbert, Senior Relationship Manager, FOX 

       
    11:00 am

    Building Life-Enhancing Relationships with Beneficiaries: An Independent Trustee's Perspective

    Research and experience consistently show that one of the most significant determinants for the success of a trust is the quality of the relationship between the beneficiary and the trustee. In this presentation, Dr. Whitaker, who serves as a consultant to families and as an independent trustee, will share the following:

    • The centrality of enhancing the beneficiary's life to the trustee's duty of care.
    • Steps that trustees and beneficiaries can take to develop strong relationships.
    • A multi-generational case example illustrating these points.

    Keith Whitaker, Founder, Wise Counsel Research, and Private Trustee
    Allison Lawshe, Learning Center Program Manager, FOX

    12:00 pm

    Selecting the Right Trustee and Role of Trust Protectors within the Trust World
    One of the most important decisions the grantor of a trust will make is picking the person or institution that will be in-charge of managing the trust’s assets and executing the fiduciary duties it requires. Building on the prior sessions, Jason Kohout and Stephanie Derks will review various trustee options, note the pros and cons of each option, and identify how to select the most qualified trustee for your family’s circumstances.

    Stephanie J. Derks, Senior Counsel, Foley & Lardner
    Jason Kohout, Partner, Foley & Lardner

    Chris Herbert, Senior Relationship Manager, FOX

       
    1:00 pm Lunch Break
       
    1:30 pm

    Managing Fiduciary Risks 
    Discussion of “fiduciary risk” has traditionally focused almost exclusively on a trustee’s risk of being sued.  However, this is only one of the adverse outcomes in a trust relationship to consider when approaching risk management.  We will look at several areas in which the trust relationship might fail, some of which might lead to stakeholder conflict. We will also review best practices to manage and hopefully avoid those risks. 

    Richard E. Fogg, Esq., Managing Director, President and Senior Trust Officer, Lineage Family Trust Company, LLC 
    Chris Herbert, Senior Relationship Manager, FOX 

       
    2:30 pm

    Bringing it All Together
    Kim Kamin will bring the workshop’s lessons to life by leading an interactive session for attendees to explore their current challenges, share key learnings, and consider actions to take as a result of the workshop. The discussion will be an opportunity to ask your specific questions in addition to sharing insights and experiences as peers.  

    Kim Kamin, Partner, Chief Wealth Strategist, Gresham Partners LLC
    Allison Lawshe, Learning Center Program Manager, FOX

       
    3:30 pm Closing Remarks
       
    3:45 pm Workshop Concludes